Device for eliminating lost motion.



A. P. GUSTAFSON. DEVICE FOR ELIMINATING LOST MOTION. APPLICATION FILED JUNE 20, 1911.

1,129,483. Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

,F 'yl THE NORRIS PETERS ca, PHcmLlTHa. WASHINGIUN, D.

UNITED STATES PATENT orrron ADOLPI-I P. GUSTAFSON, OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNOR T0 IVI. SCHULZ 00., OF CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR ELIMINATING LOST MOTION.

Application filed June 20, 1911.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that LADOLPH P. GUsrArsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cook and State of Illinois, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in Devices for Eliminating Lost Motion, of which the following is a full, clear, concise, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specifica tion.

My invention relates to automatic musical instruments and more especially to means whereby the interval between any set of notes may be maintained exactly in proportion to the distance between the corresponding notes as given by the apertures in the music roll.

My invention has for its object the provision of simple means for maintaining the movable members of a row of pneumatics at the same height or, in other words, so as to make the same angle with the fixed members of the pneumatics.

A second object is to make said means as cheap as possible and as convenient as possible to install.

A further object resides in the particular arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described.

In the accompanying drawing Figure 1 represents a row of action pneumatics as they may appear in an automatic piano; Fig. 2 is a section on the line 22 of Fig. 1; Fig. 3 is a perspective view of my device removed from its position in the instrument.

In the separate views the same part is referred to by the same reference character.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, 11 are action pneumatics installed within the instrument but without having my device applied thereto; 2-2 are action pneumatics fitted with my device. By comparing pneumatics 11 with pneumatics 2-2 it will be observed that the lower edges of pneumatics 11 are not in the same horizontal plane, while those of pneumatics 2-4 are in the same plane. The consequence is that the key striking mechanism operated by pneumatics 11 will have a varying amount of lost motion between the striking mechanism and the pneumatic, while pneumatics 22 will all be in the same operative relation to their striking mechanism. The

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Feb. 23, 1915.

Serial No. 634,345.

means of accomplishing this result is best illustrated in Fig. 2 where the board to which the pneumatic is attached is designated as 3. The movable side of the pneumatic carries a projection a which engages the key strikingmechanism 8. Carried in engagement with the movable side of the pneumatic is my device 5. This consists of heavy wire bent to the form shown and having' at one end a ribbed surface 6. Approximately at right angles to the portion having the ribbed surface is an intermediate or connecting portion 6, while approximately at right angles to the part 6 and parallel to the part 6 is a portion 7. The part 7 is bent near its outer end to form an obtuse angle, thereby providing a rounded shoulder for the purpose of contacting with the outside of the movable member of the pneumatics. The device 5 being made of wire is resilient, consequently possessing a spring action, which allows the striking mechanism and the movable element 2 to fall back against the device 5 after a stroke without jar or noise, while normally holding the element in such position as to eliminate lost motion in the striking mechanism. The end 6 is adapted to enter holes bored in the board 3 while the shoulder arm on the end 7 is in contact with the under surface of the pneumatic. The holes for receiving the ends 6 are bored in the vertical edge of the board 3, while the pneumatics are attached to the under face of the board. the pivots of the pneumatics being near the said holes. Consequently, when installing the devices 5, the workman needs merely to hold the part 6 vertical and force the ribbed part into the holes provided. Without further attention from the workman the shoulder on the part 7 engages the movable member of the pneumatic and lifts it the desired amount. taking up lost motion in the striking mechanism. Since the holes for the parts 6 are drilled on the same horizontal line, as shown in Fig. 1, and since the devices 5 are identical, the workman needs only to repeat the process just described in order to bring all the movable members of the pneumatics in a given row into horizontal alinement. /Vhen there are a plurality of rows of pneumatics, the rows are all treated in exactly the same manner. Consequently the pneumatics will all have the same relation to their individual striking mechanism and the time of the notes will be determined accurately by the music sheet. In special cases, it may be desired to adjust one pneumatic differently from others in the same instrument to take up undue lost motion, or the pneumatics in some instruments may need to be adjusted difi'erently from those in others. Such situations may be met either by varying the po sitions of the holes in the boards 3 or by bending the device 5. In most instruments 'of the same make, however, such changes from the normal are unnecessary.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

1. The Combination of a board or support having a plurality of holes bored therein at the same level, pneumatics at tached to said board each having a movable side and a fixed side pivoted together at one end, said pneumatics having their pivoted ends at the side of said board adjacent said holes, and adjusting devices mounted in said holes, said devices each comprisingfla ribbed portion occupying said holes, an intermediate portion approximately at right angles to said ribbed portion, and a contact portion approximately at right angles to said intermediate portion, said contact portion being bent near its outer end to form an obtuse angle, thus providing a shoulder which contacts with the outer surface of one of said movable sides.

2. The combination of a board having two faces at right angles, and provided with holes in one of said faces, pneu'matics on said other face pivoted near the edge formed by said faces, and adjusting devices mounted in said holes contacting with the exterior faces of said pneumatics.

3. In a pneumatic musical instrument, the combination of a collapsible pneumatic, striking mechanism actuated thereby, and

device for adjusting said pneumatic comprising a member extended along the movable part of the pneumatic and means whereby said member may be adjusted longitudinally of said pneumatic.

i. The combination of a support and a aii'eumatic secured to said support and having a hinged swingingleaf arranged underneath the remainder of the pneumatic, and an adjusting device in the form of a long metallic strip extending under said swinging leaf and arranged to support the same.

5. The combination of a support and a collapsible pneumatic secured to said support and having its swinging flap underneath, a resilient elongated member extended along the under side of said swinging flap and holding the same in position.

6. The combination of a support, a power pneumatic secured to said support and having its moi *able member underneath, a vertically movable device actuated by the movable member of said pneumatic, and a resilient member acting upon the under side of said movable member of the pneumatic to hold said movable member in expanded condition and in proper adjustment with said vertically movable device.

'7. The combination of a board having an edge and face substantially at right angles to each other, and having a plurality of alined holes bored in said edge, pneumatics attached to said face having a movable side and a fixed side pivoted together at one end near the intersection of said edge and said face, and adjusting devices mounted in said holes, said devices each comprising a ribbed portion occupying said holes, an intermediate portion approximately at right angles to said ribbed portion, and a contact portion approximately at right angles to said intermediate portion, said contact portion being slightly bent near its outer end providing ashoulder which contacts with the outer surface of one of said movable sides.

The combination of a board having a vertical edge and a lower horizontal face, and having a plurality of alined holes bored in said edge, pneumatics carried beneath said board and attached to said face, having a movable side and a fixed side pivoted together at one end near the intersection of said edge and said face, and adjusting devices mounted in said holes, said devices each comprising a ribbed portion occupying said holes, an intermediate portion approximately at right angles to said ribbed portion. and a contact portion approximately at right angles to said intermediate portion, said contact portion being slightly bent near its outer end providing a shoulder which contacts with the outer surface of one of said movable sides.

9. The combination of a board having two faces substantially at right angles to each other, and provided with holes in one of said faces, normally expanded pneumatics on said other face, the pivot ends of said pneumatics facing the edge formed by said two faces, and adjusting devices mounted in said holes contacting with the exterior faces of said pneumatics, said devices comprising straight parts adapted to engage said holes, intermediate portions approximately at right angles to said parts, and contact parts approximately at right angles to said intermediate portions, said contact parts being slightly bent at their outer ends thereby providing shoulders contacting with the exterior faces of said pneumatics.

10. The combination of a board or support, a pneumatic secured to said support, an adjusting device secured to said support adjacent the hinged end of the pneumatic and extending along the outside of the swinging leaf of the same, said device being adjustable with reference to said pneumatic.

11. The combination of a board or support, a pneumatic secured to said support, an adjusting device cooperating with said pneumatic comprising relatively long and short arms, said short arm being secured to said support adjacent the hinged end of said pneumatic and said long arm extending along the outside of the swinging leaf of said pneumatic and contacting therewith said device being adjustable with reference to said pneumatic.

12. The combination of a board or support, a pneumatic secured to said support, an adjusting device coeperating with said pneumatic comprising relatively long and short arms, parallel to each other, said short arm being secured to said support adjacent the hinged end of said pneumatic and being adjustable in said support in a direction longitudinally of the pneumatic and said long arm extending along the outside of the swinging leaf of said pneumatic and contacting therewith.

13. The combination of a hinged swinging leaf pneumatic having its swinging leaf underneath and in a position inclining downwardly from its hinge, and an adjusting device provided with means whereby it may be mounted for longitudinal adjustment in position underneath and in contact with the swinging leaf of said pneumatic in substantially horizontal position, whereby longitudinal adjustment of said member will cause vertical adjustment of said swinging leaf.

1 1-. The combination of a support, a hinged swinging leaf pneumatic secured to said support, and a device cooperating with said pneumatic comprising means of attachment to said support, and a member extending longitudinally of the pneumatic and arranged for use in connection with the swinging leaf thereof, said member being adapted to hold said pneumatic in a predetermined state of partial collapse.

15. The combination of a support a hinged swinging leaf pneumatic secured to said support and a device cooperating with said pneumatic, said device comprising a member and means whereby the device may be attached to said support with said member extending longitudinally of the pneumatic and mounted for longitudinal adjustment at an angle to the swinging leaf whereby the latter may be adjusted with reference to the fixed leaf of the pneumatic by a longitudinal adjustment of said member.

16. The combination of a pneumatic hav ing a movable member and a device associated therewith, said device being in the form of a rod arranged underneath and in contact with the movable member of said pneumatic, and means for mounting said pneumatic and rod so as to permit a relative adjustment between the two to allow the greater or less elevation of the movable member of the pneumatic by said rod.

In witness whereof, I hereunto subscribe my name this 27th day of May, A. 1)., 1911.

ADOLPH P. GUSTAFSON.

Witnesses:

A. LYDA JoNns, HAZEL JoNns.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, D. G. 

